Systems and methods for wire feed speed control

Abstract

Systems and methods for wire feed speed control are disclosed. An example welding power supply includes a control panel comprising one or more input elements, and control circuitry. The control panel is configured to receive a first input relating to a material thickness and receive a second input to place the welding power supply in a first mode of operation, wherein the first input relates to a wire diameter. The control circuitry is configured to place the welding power supply in the first mode of operation when the first input is received from the one or more input elements; determine a coarse wire feed speed when the welding power supply is in the first mode of operation; receive a third input to fine tune the coarse wire feed speed; and fine tune the coarse wire feed speed based on the received third input.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A welding power supply comprising:
 a control panel, comprising one or more input elements, the control panel configured to:
 receive a first input relating to a material thickness; and 
 receive a second input to place the welding power supply in a first mode of operation, wherein the first input relates to a wire diameter; and 
 
 control circuitry configured to:
 place the welding power supply in the first mode of operation when the first input is received from the one or more input elements; 
 determine a coarse wire feed speed when the welding power supply is in the first mode of operation; 
 receive a third input to fine tune the coarse wire feed speed; and 
 fine tune the coarse wire feed speed based on the received third input. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The welding power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control a motor associated with a wire spool to feed wire from the wire spool to a welding operation at the fine tuned coarse wire feed speed. 
     
     
       3. The welding power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry, when in the first mode of operation, is configured to determine the coarse wire feed speed based at least in part on a fourth input relating to a diameter of a wire to be used in a welding operation received from the control panel via the one or more input elements and based on the first input relating to the material thickness. 
     
     
       4. The welding power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the control panel is configured to alternatively receive a fourth input to place the welding power supply via the one or more input elements in a second mode of operation. 
     
     
       5. The welding power supply of  claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry, when in the second mode of operation, is configured to determine the coarse wire feed speed based at least in part on a fifth input relating to wire feed speed received from the control panel via the one or more input elements and based on a sixth input relating to a weld voltage level received from the control panel via the one or more input elements. 
     
     
       6. The welding power supply of  claim 1 , further comprising a first wire spool configured to supply a first wire. 
     
     
       7. The welding power supply of  claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the third input from a spool gun configured to supply a second wire from a second wire spool in the spool gun. 
     
     
       8. The welding power supply of  claim 7 , wherein the second wire is aluminum wire. 
     
     
       9. The welding power supply of  claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to selectively activate one of the first wire spool or the second wire spool for a welding operation. 
     
     
       10. The welding power supply of  claim 9 , wherein the first wire is supplied to the spool gun via a conduit disposed between the welding power supply and the spool gun when the first wire spool is activated. 
     
     
       11. The welding power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more input elements are configured to receive a fourth input relating to a wire diameter when the welding power supply is in the first mode of operation. 
     
     
       12. The welding power supply of  claim 11 , wherein the second input element is configured to receive a fifth input relating to a wire feed speed when the welding power supply is in a second mode of operation.